this morning as we check in on some of the hardest-hit victims of hurricane sandy and see how they offered thanks this weekend while surrounded by destruction. >>> from nbc news in washington, the world's longest-running television program, this is "meet the press." with david gregory. >>> president obama doing his part for the economy over the weekend out holiday shopping as part of small business saturday, picking up several children's book at an independent bookstore iypÑarlington. >>> meanwhile, uncertainty in the middle east. more clashes in egypt over the weekend as police use tear gas this morning to disburse protesters in cairo. i want to start there. we have "new york times" columnist david brooks and our own andrea mitchell. andrea, this is because president morsi has seized power, a day after brokering a cease-fire between israel and hamas, he is now consolidating power. how worry side the administration about it? >> very worried, but they are very, very cautious because he is their new point of leverage really with hamas. he is the future, they thought, of trying to negotiate